Multimedia

Narratives

Site Information

Primary Documents - Lenin's April Theses, April 1917

Introduction

In Russian the "Aprelskiye
Tezisy", the April Theses formed a programme developed by Lenin during the
1917 Russian Revolution. In these Lenin called for Soviet control of
the state. When published the theses contributed to the July Days
rising and to the subsequent coup d'etat of October 1917, bringing the
Bolsheviks to power.

Sponsored Links

Lenin's April Theses

I have outlined a few
theses which I shall supply with some commentaries. I could not,
because of the lack of time, present a thorough, systematic report.
The basic question is our attitude towards the war.

The basic things
confronting you as you read about Russia or observe conditions here are the
triumph of defencism, the triumph of the traitors to Socialism, the
deception of the masses by the bourgeoisie... The new government, like the
preceding one, is imperialistic, despite the promise of a republic - it is
imperialistic through and through.

One

In our attitude toward
the war not the slightest concession must be made to "revolutionary
defencism," for under the new government of Lvov & Co., owing to the
capitalise nature of this government, the war on Russia's part remains a
predatory imperialist war.

In view of the undoubted honesty of the
mass of rank and file representatives of revolutionary defencism who
accept the war only as a necessity and not as a means of conquest, in view
of their being deceived by the bourgeoisie, it is necessary most
thoroughly, persistently, patiently to explain to them their error, to
explain the inseparable connection between capital and the imperialist
war, to prove that without the overthrow of capital it is impossible to
conclude the war with a really democratic, non-oppressive peace.

This view is to be widely propagated among the army units in the field...

Two

The peculiarity of the present situation in Russia is that it represents a
transition from the first stage of the revolution - which, because of the
inadequate organisation and insufficient class-consciousness of the
proletariat, led to the assumption of power by the bourgeoisie - to its
second stage which is to place power in the hands of the proletariat and the
poorest strata of the peasantry...

This peculiar situation demands of us an ability to adapt ourselves to the
specific conditions of party work amidst vast masses of the proletariat just
wakened to political life.

Three

No support to the Provisional Government; exposure of the utter falsity of
all its promises, particularly those relating to the renunciation of
annexations. Unmasking, instead of admitting, the illusion-breeding
"demand" that this government, a government of capitalist, should cease to
be imperialistic...

Four

Recognition of the fact that in most of the Soviets of Workers' Deputies our
party constitutes a minority, and a small one at that, in the face of the
bloc of all the petty bourgeois opportunist elements... who have yielded to
the influence of the bourgeoisie...

It must be explained to the masses that the Soviet of Workers' Deputies is
the only possible form of revolutionary government and that, therefore, our
task is, while this government is submitting to the influence of the
bourgeoisie, to present a patient, systematic, and persistent analysis of
its errors and tactics, an analysis especially adapted to the practical
needs of the masses...

Five

Not a parliamentary
republic - a return to it from the Soviet of Workers' Deputies would be
a step backward - but a republic of Soviets of Workers', Agricultural
Labourers' and Peasants' Deputies throughout the land, from top to
bottom.

Abolition
of the police, the army, the bureaucracy...

All officers to be elected and to be subject to recall at any time, their
salaries not to exceed the average wage of a competent worker...

Six

In the agrarian
programme, the emphasis must be shifted to the Soviets of Agricultural
Labourers' Deputies.

Confiscation of private
lands.

Nationalisation of all
lands in the country, and management of such lands by local Soviets of
Agricultural Labourers' and Peasants' Deputies.

A separate organisation
of Soviets of Deputies of the poorest peasants.

Creation of model agricultural establishments out of large estates...

Seven

Immediate merger of all the banks in the country into one general national
bank, over which the Soviet of Workers' Deputies should have control...

Eight

Not the "introduction" of Socialism as an immediate task, but the immediate
placing of the Soviet of Workers' Deputies in control of social production
and distribution of goods...

Nine

Party tasks:

A. Immediate calling of
a party convention.

B. Changing the party
program, mainly:

Concerning
imperialism and the imperialist war.

Concerning our
attitude toward the state, and our demand for a 'commune state."

Amending our
antiquated minimum programme.

Ten

Rebuilding the International. Taking the initiative in the creation of a
revolutionary International, an International against the social-chauvinists
and against the "centre"...